Clarifying apparatus.



No.` 68|;I70. Patented Aug. 20, |9011.

` c. n. Munson. 4 y

cLAmFYlNG APPARATUS.

(Appxiwion med Dec. 1s, 1900.)

(no Model.)

A TTUHNEYS i l freezing and bursting them, and`,`further, in

. l all seasons of the year crude oil is liable to be cut-that is, agitated with water or by r certain kinds of friction it becomes coagu- UNITED STATES f `To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, CHARLES R. HUDsoN,

of Warren, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented a new and` Improved Clarifying Apparatus, of which the y followin g is a full,clear, and exact description.

l This invention relates to improvements in In preparing oil for shipment from the tanks in 3 the elds in the pipe-line companies lines it `is necessary ,throughout the Winter season or during cold weather to heat the oil. The salt `water mixed with the oil must be settled out. Otherwise it would gather in the lines,

`lated or paraffinedand called in the oil-fields roily oil, containing B. 8., in which case i, y it becomes necessary to apply heat to clarify or sett-le the B. S. The method of heating a "tank of oil in general use in the oil-fields is` by steaming it, and generally twenty-five- 1 lin connection with other operations of the i `well or plant.

To steam a tank of oil, connections are made with the boiler and the tank, putting the pipe down through the oil i of salt water is retained `in the bottom of the j tank, and the steam is turned on, butinto the salt Water, it being considered injurious "to the oil to permit steam to come into direct contact with it. When the oil is very roily,

afterheating it to a high temperature it is y allowed to stand for a day or two, and if duri `;`ing that time it does not settle out clear the Iheating process must be repeated.

`t is the object of my invention to obviate the above difficulties by providing a means by which the oil may be more quickly heated Wand clarified and. at a considerable less expense of time and fuel.

I will describe a clarifying apparatus embodying myinvention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

i Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

Fries.

CI'IARLESR. HUDSON, OF WARREN, INDIANA.

CLARIFYING APPARATUS.

`SEEIFIG'LIQN' fOrmng part 0f Letters Patent N0. 681,170, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed December 13, 1900. Serial No. 39,645. (No model.)

Figure l is a sectional elevation of an ap-4 paratus embodying my invention and showing the parts in position for spraying water on the oil, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the parts in position for forcing a column of water throughthe oil.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an oil-tank of any desired capacity, and 2 indicates a heater, on which is a boiler 3, preferably of the tubular type. From the dome 4 of the boiler a pipe 5 leads toand is designed to discharge into the upper portion of the tank. Mounted to rotate on the end `of this pipe 5 is a tube 6, on one end of which is a column-discharging nozzle 7 and on the other end is a spray-discharging nozzle 8. The discharge from these nozzles may be controlled by valves 9 l0.

Leading from the interior of the tank at the bottom to the boiler 3 is a pipe 11, in which is a cut-off valve 12 and check-valve 13. Within the tank the pipe 11 has .a vertically-swinging extension 14., from which a ward to the top of the tank.

In operation when the tank of oil is ready for heating the valve 12 is opened and the salt water in the bottom of the tank will flow through the check-valve 13 to the boiler 3. The heat from the furnace or heater 2, which may be gas heat, coal, coke, or Wood, within a few minutes will cause an expansion of the fluid and force a current thereof through the `pipe 5 into the tank. If the oil is in good condition at the beginning and only requires to be heated, the swinging connection 14 is to be left with its end in the saltwater and the nozzle 7 turned on to dischargeinto the tank, so` that a solid columnv of water will pass through the oil, as indicated in Fig. 2. This starts a gentle circulation of the oil, as indicated by the arrows, which circulation. is always in the same direction and does not agitate or churn the oil, and consequently does vnot roil it. When the oil is not in good condition or somewhat roily previous to heating, after it becomes thoroughly hot by the use of the solid column, as shown in Fig.

IOO

2, then turn on the spray-nozzle, as shown in Fig. 1. This will cause a spraying of the salt water on the top of the oil, which passing through the oil will carry all heavy matter or impurities to the bottom of the tank.

If the oil is very bad or contains a large quantity of B. S., the Water is first to be discharged into the oil through the nozzle 7, and after it begins to circulate nicely the Io swinging portion 14 of the pipe l1 is to be raised into the oil to permit the oil to pass through the heater. After raising the oil to a high temperature, the section 141C of the pipe is to be again lowered and the spraying-noz 15 Zle is to be brought into position to spray water onto the oil, which causes it to become clear. When the oil is ready for shipment, the Valve 12 is to be closed and a drainagecock 16 is opened, permitting the salt water zo to escape from the heater and the pipes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an apparatusfor clarifying oil, an oil- 2 5 tank, a heater, a-pipe extended from said heater over the oil-tank, a column-nozzle connecting with said pipe, a spray-nozzle connecting with said pipe, and a pipe leading from the lower portion of the tank t-o the 3o heater, substantially as specified.

2. An apparatus for clarifying oil, comprising an oil-tank, a heater, a pipe leading from the upper portion of said heater and adapted to discharge into the tank, and a pipe leading from the lower portion of the tank to the heater, the said pipe having a swinging connection within the tank,substantially as speciy ed.

3. An apparatus for clarifying oil, comprising an oil-tank, a heater, a pipe leading from 4o the upper portion of said heater over the tank, a tube mounted to rotate ,on the end of said pipe, a column-nozzle on one end of said tube,

a spray-nozzle on the other end of said tube, and means for conducting a liquid from said tank to the heater, substantially as specified.

4. An apparatus for clarifying oil, comprising an oil-tank,a heater,a boiler on the heater,

a pipe leading from the dome of said boiler over the tank, a spray-nozzle on said pipe, a 5o column-nozzle on said pipe, and a valve-con` trolled pipe leading from the lower portion of the ltank to the boiler, substantially as specified.

5. An apparatus for clarifying oil, compris- 5 5 ing an oil-tank, a boiler, a pipe leading from the lower portion of the tank to the lower portion of the boiler, a swinging section on said pipe within the tank, a chain or the like extended from said swinging section upward 6o through the tank, and a pipe leading from the upper portion of the boiler to the upper portion of the tank, substantially as speciied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. HUDSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. REED, JOHN E. STEPHENS. 

